One GAA legend was with the two players concerned when the initial approach by DJ for the cash was made
DJ Carey arrives at court. (Image: PA Wire)
Disgraced conman DJ Carey repaid two GAA stars €15,000 after they threatened to expose him.
The two individuals, one a footballer and another a hurler lent him the money several years ago for his fake cancer treatment after he approached them following a charity golf classic.
The two stars gave him the cash between them. But then a few years later when rumours started spreading that it was all a scam, they put serious pressure on him to repay them.
One GAA legend was with the two players concerned when the initial approach by DJ for the cash was made.
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He said: “He asked me directly for fifteen grand and I said ‘No’. I didn’t really have it at the time to be honest, I didn’t really trust him.
“I also knew of another person who had offered to help but wanted the name of the hospital in America so he could send the money directly to them for the treatment but DJ never supplied it.
“In the end my two friends, both of whom are household names, out of the goodness of their heart gave him the cash.
“DJ told them he needed it for urgent life saving stem cell treatment in the United States. They took him at his word and believed him. They both told DJ it was a loan, not a donation, and they would need the money back. They were giving him the money out of their own life savings.”
However when rumours started circulating within the GAA that the Kilkenny hurler was not as sick as he was making out, they put serious pressure on him to get their cash back.
The source said: “They went and tracked him down and demanded their cash within weeks or otherwise they were going to go public and expose him.
“They also threatened to tell the Gardai that he was taking money under false pretences. They put the fear of God into DJ and he got the money from somewhere – he probably conned another poor victim to pay them back.
“One way or the other the two lads got their fifteen grand back and were probably among the few people who were ever repaid by DJ Carey.
“The vast majority of people who he asked for loans were stung and far too embarrassed to contact the Gardai. They just took the hit and moved on.”
Carey was jailed for five and a half years during the week for taking €400,000 under false pretences from 13 victims in his fake cancer scam.
Friends say he carried on the racket for at least 13 years before the Gardai caught up with him in 2023.
The shamed hurling legend is now likely to be detained at Mountjoy Prison for several months to a year before being moved to an open prison.
A prison source said: “DJ Carey has no history of violence and is not a threat to other prisoners. He has committed a white collar crime and such inmates are normally kept in an open prison or somewhere which is not as strict.
“However, because of overcrowding that is not really possible at the moment. But every prisoner – white collar or not – is expected to serve at least 20pc of their time in a closed prison unit.
“DJ could himself make an application to be moved out of Mountjoy but any decision about moving him will be made in due course by the operations team within the Irish Prison Service.
“The medical team in Mountjoy are keeping a close eye on him as he was recently diagnosed with a medical condition that has not been disclosed.
“He failed to show up for his initial sentencing hearing because he went to A&E at a Galway Hospital.
“He will also be psychiatrically assessed by the prison medical team which is normal procedure for all new prisoners admitted to Irish jails.”
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